St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-02
THE YEARS BUILDING.
The Result Very Gratifying, Especially
After the Diseouraging Pros
poets.
Last Years Permits Exceeded, With an
Estimated Cost About the
Same.
Effects of the Fee for Permits Money
Which Went Into the Growing
Suburbs.

The building record of Minneapolis,
for the past year, reckoning to Decem-
Der l, will be PLEASANT surprise. 1t is
well known fact that building matters
have been considered backward for the
year. For the last past six years, the
Minneapolis building boom has been
simply terrific, OccaSiOned not only by
the unprecedented demand for dwelling
houses, but by the unusually large num-
Der of elegant business blocks. The
year just closed holds up the average,
showing a still larger number OF build
ingS, but disclosing slight falling Off
in The amount of money involved. The
latter carries with it such an eXplana-
ton that the amount reaches figure at
which the loyal Minneapolitan may fling
up his hat with joy. 1t shows that
slight falling off is perceptible in bust
ness blocks, the building of the past
three years having been sufficient for
the present demand, while the demand
for dwellings holds up to average of
the city'S best years. During 1886
there were 4,503 permits issued
by the building inspector, the es-
timated cost being $9,099,052. Under the
system then in vogue, there was no fee
attached to building permit, and the
builder presumably gave fair estimate
of the proposed cost. This year the fee
system was introduced, the amount de-
pending on the cost of the proposed
building. The result was that estimates
were so largely cut down that a month
ago the council stepped in and abol-
ished the fee system. 1t is only fair,
therefore, that percentage be added
this year to arrive at the approximate
cost of this years building. The build
ing inspector has just completed his re-
port for the fourth quarter, ending Dec.
|, which gives for the year, 4,5S5 per-
mits against 4,503 last year. With the
added p per cent, the amount of the
proposed cost of the buildings of 1887
will 50, S25,350, But this figure does not
convey correct idea of the building OPP
eratiOns for the year. There are several
new structures under way for which
the full permit has never been
taken out; among them be-
ing the new GLOBE building,
the Syndicate building on Second street,
the Bank of Commerce and others, the
combined cost of which will reach
S1,OOO.OOO. There are also many build
ings begun last year upon which the
bulk of the work enters into this years
figues. There are the pOStof1ice, public
library and others, which would add
100000 more. These are rough esti-
mates, but are under rather than over
the truth. Another important matter is
the suburban building, which has been
very extensive and which, though not
in Minneapolis proper, is built by Min
neapoliS capital and will one day be in
Guided in the limits. At Frldley. Sandy
Lake (Sault shops, Junction City and
Hopkins improvements amounting to
over 81, 900, 600 have been put in during
the year, and it is only just to include
the amount in the Minneapolis figures.
The building inspectors report for the
four quarters is as follows: